FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 25, 2019

Contact: Nicolette Nappi, Media Coordinator, 973-382-4560, nicolette@drugfreenj.org

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall in Toms River Highlights Impact of Opioid Epidemic on Community

TOMS RIVER — Local experts on the opioid epidemic devastating New Jersey addressed its impact on Toms River and discussed solutions with its residents at a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.

The Toms River Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall was part of a two-year Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative to address the opioid crisis through community outreach, prescriber education, parent education and a statewide awareness program in all 21 New Jersey counties throughout 2019 and 2020.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey held a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall in Toms River on Wednesday, September 25. From left, Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher; Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; Heather Price, Volunteeer Coordinator for Hope Sheds Light and Person in Long-Term Recovery; Angelo Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ; Susan S. Jones, Reverand of Holy Cross Lutheran Church; and Beverly Prima, Hope Sheds Light.

“The solution to the opioid crisis ravaging New Jersey requires involvement and collaboration from various fields, including law enforcement, medical professionals, treatment and prevention specialists, faith-based leaders, parents, and all other community members.” said PDFNJ Executive Director Angelo Valente.

The Toms River event, held in collaboration with Hope Sheds Light and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, featured an expert panel of speakers including Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; Toms River Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher; Rev. Susan S. Jones of Holy Cross Lutheran Church; Beverly Prima, Hope Sheds Light; and Heather Price, Volunteer Coordinator for Hope Sheds Light and a Person in Long-Term Recovery.

Panelists discussed ways to improve the community’s response to the opioid epidemic, including providing a more comprehensive guide for residents on the options for prevention, treatment and support provided by groups in Toms River, including peer-to-peer initiatives and houses of worship.

Mayor Kelaher spoke on the importance of peer-to-peer programs in helping those battling with the disease of addiction get on the road to recovery.

“We are all in this together, and the faith based community has the responsibility to let everyone know that they’re not alone.” said Rev. Jones.

They also discussed the issue of stigma and the need to remove this barrier to treatment and recovery.

“The stigma was so powerful that I lived a majority of my life in fear.” Price said.

 “It is critically important to change the way we view addiction.” said Jones. “It isn’t a question of character or a moral failing, and until we deal with that we won’t be able to break the barriers of stigma.”

In 2018, Ocean County’s 217 drug overdose deaths — most of which involved some form of opioid — ranked fourth among New Jersey’s 21 counties, according the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Law enforcement officers administered the overdose antidote, naloxone, 811 times that same year.

Since January of 2019, there have been 181 opioid overdoses in Toms River, 20 of which were fatal, according to recent data from the New Jersey Army National Guard (NJARNG) Counterdrug Task Force.

“We each play a role in the solution, and today was the first step.” said Valente. “It is only together, through unified efforts, that we can effectively approach and develop ways to resolve this public health crisis.”

To see a video of the Toms River Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall or to see the fall schedule of upcoming town halls, visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org. The next town hall in the series will be held in Cape May from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 2 at the Cape May Convention Hall, Cape May, NJ 08204. 

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Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey: Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $100 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 174 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.

About The Horizon Foundation For New Jersey: The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors’ health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundation’s funding pillars are Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, please visit www.Horizonblue.com/Foundation